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A10 WORLD NEWS
Monday 13 noveMber 2017
Spanish PM urges Catalans to defeat separatists at polls
By JOSEPH WILSON the increasing attacks to
Associated Press peaceful coexistence,” Ra-
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) joy said.
— Spanish Prime Minister Apart from the govern-
Mariano Rajoy urged vot- ment takeover, 10 Cata-
ers in Catalonia on Sunday lan separatist leaders have
to defeat the separatists been jailed while their roles
who led the region’s recent in promoting secession are
drive for independence under investigation.
when they go to the polls Catalonia’s deposed presi-
in an early election next dent and four former mem-
month. bers of his Cabinet fled to
Rajoy, who used previously Brussels and plan to fight
untapped constitutional extradition to Spain.
authority to call the Dec. Rajoy linked the contin-
21 regional election, told ued economic recovery of
members of his conser- Spain, and especially Cat-
vative Popular Party at a alonia, to the removal of
Barcelona hotel that “we pro-independence parties
want a massive turnout to from power.
open up a new period of Over 2,000 companies
normalcy” in Catalonia. have relocated their
Rajoy’s visit to Barcelona, headquarters from Cata-
Catalonia’s main city, was lonia due to fears of being
his first to the region since Demonstrators gather during a protest calling for the release of Catalan jailed politicians, in cast out of the European
he used the constitutional Barcelona, Spain, on Saturday, Nov 11, 2017. Union’s common market
Associated Press in the case of secession.
powers to stifle the seces- 2011, but secured less than Employment numbers also
sion push led by the region- 10 percent of the vote in showed that Catalonia fell
al government. Catalonia’s 2015 regional behind other parts of Spain
After Catalonia’s Parlia- election. in October.
ment voted Oct. 27 in fa- The Popular Party contin- ”But I say that the recovery
vor of declaring indepen- ues to poll behind several of legality and normalcy
dence, Rajoy responded other parties in the region, will help reactivate the
by firing top government including the pro-business economy,” the prime min-
officials, dissolving the Par- Citizens and the Socialists, ister said.q
liament and ordering the which both oppose seces-
early election. sion.
Spain’s Constitution says The far-left separatist CUP
the nation is “indivisible.” party decided Sunday to
“It’s urgent to return a sense participate in the Decem-
of normality to Catalonia ber elections. The CUP is
and do so as soon as possi- one of three pro-secession
ble to lower the social and parties in the region.
economic tensions,” Rajoy Rajoy defended his deci-
said Sunday. “The threat of sion to temporarily take
the separatists is destruc- over running Catalonia un-
tive, sad and agonizing. der a section of the Spain
Secessionism has created Constitution that allows
insecurity and uncertainty.” central authorities to inter-
Polls show a tight race be- vene in regions where offi-
tween Catalan separatists cials act outside the law.
and politicians who want Catalonia’s separatists,
the region to remain a part and even some moder-
of Spain. In Brussels on Sun- ates, have criticized the
day, those favoring inde- measures as heavy-hand-
pendence for Catalonia ed.
rallied near the European “Exceptional measures can
Union quarter. only be taken when there
Rajoy’s party has won three is no other option, and
national elections since we adopted them to stop
